This Weekend: Bus shuttles replace Blue and Expo Lines in downtown L.A. due to upgrade work

Pico Station will close for one more weekend, starting this Friday evening, in order for crews to finish station refurbishment work. Improvements are part of the Blue Line Upgrade Project, and are similar to those already completed at other stations, including new canopies, fresh paint, tile and audio/visual enhancements. This is the last Blue Line closure related to the station-rehabilitation component of the Blue Line Upgrades Project.

NOTE: There may be some intermittent delays on the Blue Line this weekend in Long Beach due to power outages in the area. As a precaution, Metro has organized additional generators there to ensure station lighting and TVMs are maintained in the Long Beach Loop. However, traction power for train movement may be disrupted as the city’s crews continue to make repairs to their power grid. For status updates on the Long Beach power outages, please check their page.

This Friday after 9 p.m. through Sunday close of service, bus shuttles will replace rail service on both the Blue and Expo Lines in downtown L.A. while work at Pico Station occurs.

This means there will be no Blue Line trains between 7th Street/Metro Center and Grand/LATTC. The last stop for northbound Blue Line trains and the starting point for all Long Beach-bound trains will be Grand/LATTC. There will also be no Expo Line rail service between 7th Street/Metro Center and LATTC/Ortho Institute (23rd Street) Station. Eastbound Expo Line trains will return west to Culver City at LATTC/Ortho Institute.

Blue Line customers wishing to travel between 7th Street/Metro Center and Grand/LATTC will need to board Metro bus shuttles (marked as “Blue Line Shuttle”) in order to do so. The Blue Line shuttles will pick up and drop off customers at the intersection of Flower and 7th Street, and will make stops at Pico and Grand/LATTC stations.

Expo Line customers will find “Expo Line Shuttles” picking up and dropping off at the intersection of Hope and 7th Street. The bus shuttles will travel between 7th Street/Metro Center, Pico and LATTC/Ortho Institute stations.

In addition to the bus shuttles replacing Blue and Expo Line trains, there will also be bus shuttles making a circular route between Grand/LATTC Blue Line Station and LATTC/Ortho Institute Expo Line Station. These shuttles will travel between the two stations in a clockwise direction via Grand Avenue, 23rd Street, Figueroa Street and Washington Boulevard. All bus shuttles operate at a frequency consistent with Blue and Expo Line service levels.

This weekend’s work/station closure will also require the following changes toMetro Blue and Expo Line schedules. (Please note these changes are also posted on our Planned Service Advisories page.)

Friday, July 17, after 9 p.m., Blue Line will run every 10 minutes between Downtown Long Beach and Grand/LATTC. Expo Line trains will arrive every 12 minutes.

Saturday and Sunday, July 18 and 19, Blue Line trains will operate every 15 minutes before 8:30 a.m., and then every 10 minutes for the remainder of the service day. Expo Line trains will operate every 12 minutes from open to close of service.

On Friday evening, July 17, the last trains making full trips between downtown L.A. and Long Beach will depart 7th Street/Metro Center at: 8:35pm, 8:45 and 8:56. The last complete trips from Downtown Long Beach Station to 7th Street/Metro Center will depart at: 7:23 p.m., 7:33 and 7:45. The last Expo Line trains from Culver City to downtown L.A. will depart at 7:58pm, 8:08 and 8:20. The last complete trips from 7th Street/Metro Center to Culver City will depart at 8:20pm, 8:30 and 8:42. (Please be aware all times are subject to work-related delays.)

Finally, on behalf of Metro, thank you to everyone affected by the work these past months for their patience and understanding. As we mentioned earlier, this is the final closure for the station refurbishment component of the Blue Line upgrades project, with more improvements to come over the next year! Please check back here at The Source, or follow us @metrolosangeles or@metrolaalerts for the latest Blue and Expo Line service updates.